Let me be honest with you right from the start.
I’m not a finance guru. I don’t have a rags-to-riches story to sell you. I don’t have a secret formula that made me a millionaire by 35. I’m just a regular guy — a 40-something industrial engineer from South Korea — who finally got tired of waiting for “someday” to arrive on its own.
This is Day 1 of my journey to build 6-figure passive income. And I’m documenting every single step of it here, starting with the uncomfortable truth about where I stand right now.
Who Am I, Exactly?
My name is Steve. I spend my days working with industrial compressors — the heavy-duty machinery that powers factories, plants, and production lines. It’s technical work, and I’m good at it. I’ve built a stable career over the past couple of decades, and I genuinely enjoy what I do.
But here’s the thing about a stable career: it gives you a paycheck, not freedom.
I wake up at the same time every morning. I show up. I put in the hours. I come home to my family and my two dogs. And somewhere between dinner and bedtime, I find myself thinking: is this it? Is a comfortable routine really everything I’m building toward?
Last year, another birthday in my 40s rolled around. And something about reaching this stage of life made me stop and actually look at my financial life for the first time — really look at it, without glossing over the parts that made me uncomfortable.
My Honest Financial Snapshot (Right Now, Today)
I believe in transparency, so here it is — my actual starting point:
My primary savings right now sit in a retirement pension account. The current balance is approximately $80,000 USD. That’s it. That’s the number.
For over 20 years of working, $80,000. When I typed that out, it stung a little — and I think that’s exactly why I needed to type it.
But here’s the part that gives me hope: I’m not quite starting from zero on the passive income front. Inside that pension account, I hold a few dividend-paying ETFs, and right now they send me about $130 a month — roughly $1,600 a year — without me lifting a finger.
Is $130 a month going to change my life? Not yet. But it’s real. It’s money that shows up while I sleep, while I’m at work, while I’m walking my dogs. It’s a tiny seed — and this entire blog is the story of me trying to grow it into a forest.
To be clear, I’m not in financial trouble. I have a steady income, no major debts, and a roof over my head. My family is provided for. But when I run the numbers on what retirement actually looks like — or what a truly comfortable, free life looks like beyond just “getting by” — $80,000 in savings in my 40s is a wake-up call, not a finish line.
I want more. Not in a greedy way. In a freedom way.
So What Does “6 Figures” Actually Mean to Me?
When I talk about 6-figure passive income, I mean $100,000 or more per year coming in without requiring me to trade every hour of my day for it.
I know that sounds like a big number. Honestly, right now it feels enormous. Going from $1,600 a year to $100,000 a year in passive income is a mountain — I won’t pretend otherwise. That’s more than I’ve ever made in a single year from my engineering salary alone.
But here’s why I believe it’s possible — not quickly, not easily, but possible:
Passive income isn’t magic. It’s the result of consistently building systems over time. Whether that’s through content creation, digital products, investing, or other income streams, the people who get there didn’t teleport — they walked, step by step, just like I’m going to do.
I’m an engineer. I believe in systems. I believe in iteration. I believe that if you build the right structure and give it enough time, the results follow. My $130 a month is proof that the machine works — now I just have to make the machine bigger.
Why Am I Writing This Blog?
A few reasons.
First, accountability. There’s something powerful about putting your goals in writing where other people can see them. It’s much harder to quietly give up when you’ve publicly committed to trying.
Second, community. I can’t be the only 40-something working professional who’s starting late and feeling a little overwhelmed by all of this. If you’re in a similar place — decent job, decent life, but a nagging feeling that you haven’t built the financial future you actually want — then maybe this space is for both of us.
Third, proof. I want this blog to eventually become a record of what’s actually possible when an ordinary person commits to doing the work. Not overnight results. Real results, earned over real time.
What You Can Expect From This Blog
I’ll be sharing:
- Updates on my passive income progress, including the numbers (good months and bad)
- Strategies I’m researching and testing, from dividend investing to digital income streams
- Honest reflections on what’s working, what’s failing, and what I’m learning
- Resources that are helping me along the way
This is not a place where I’ll pretend everything is perfect or that I have it all figured out. I don’t. But I’m committed to figuring it out — openly, honestly, and with you alongside me.
The Goal, Simply Put
$80,000 saved. About $1,600 a year in passive income today, from ETF dividends.
Target: $100,000+ in annual passive income.
Timeline: I’m not going to pretend I know exactly when. But I’m starting now — today — and I’m not stopping.
If you’re someone who’s also dreaming bigger than your current bank account, I’d love for you to follow along. Hit subscribe, bookmark this page, or just check back in every now and then.
This is going to be a long road. But every long road starts with a single step.
This is mine.
— Steve